A beautiful machine: First Look on Specialized Venge VIAS As shared on CyclingTips

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“Perfume is armchair travel. It is made of very real materials but suggests an entire hidden world. El Cosmico is a place to stay for gypsies on the move. But it is much more as well. It suggests the cosmic omnipresence that we sit at the edge of daily. To be there under the stars is to feel the infinity of our position. The scent had to suggest this feeling – a haunting reminder of an endless landscape.

Following the success of its Maison Kitsuné Gallery, Parisian Maison Kitsuné‘s first ever pop-up shop in Hong Kong which inaugurated last March 2015, the brand settles down in the city for good with the opening of its beautiful first Maison Kitsuné Hong Kong pied-à-terre. Nestled in the famous shopping district of Causeway Bay, this new address of 80 m² reveals a post-modern chic space fusing the brand’s parisian heritage with some subtle touches of traditional Asian decors. To celebrate this opening, Maison Kitsuné has re-edited its successful “Hongkongais” capsule collection, consisting of two t-shirts in new summer colorways as well as a bowling-inspired chambray dress and short sleeves shirt. exclusively available in the store. We love this great new chapter in the inspirational Kitsuné universe. read more…

Exhibited at CHASM Gallery, New York

The intriguing show named ‘Coming to Terms’ is emerging artist Abdul Abdullah’s debut New York exhibition featuring a new series of performative photographic portraits. The 29-year-old Abdullah is one of the most interesting emerging artists coming out of Australia, who after graduating from Curtin University had a focus on painting and in recent years moved into photography and video. His work has recently been showcased at the START Art Fair at Saatchi Gallery in London, Art Stage Singapore and now has found its way into the United States. Notions of contemporary ceremony, genesis, ritual, reinforcement of personal identity, cultural hybridity and intimate aspects of the self are revealed to us through his darkly distinctive oeuvre that is both confronting yet deeply elucidating in regard to the human condition. We are super fascinated by both the images itself as the symbolic instilled in them, and look forward what the future will hold for this exciting young Australian artist. When in New York, make sure to see his incredible work. read more…

It’s been a number of years since we have last written about Copenhagen-based creative studio and clothing brand Norse Projects, but with the just released imagery for the Autumn/Winter 2015 collection they really caught our attention. The new lookbook was produced by a remarkble team, consisting of the talented photographers Justin Chung – who we know through his incredible ‘Faculty Department‘ project – and Luke Norman alongside Inventory Magazine’s fashion director – and one of the most inspirational people working in fashion – stylist Stephen Mann. The series puts a clear focus on those elements which Norse has become famous for since its foundation in 2004. The images show the collection’s purist approach along with progressive ideals through the use of aerial lines, soft textures, and subtle details, including technical inspired directional outerwear in soft hues and muted tones. And not just the collection itself stands out, as the series was shot upon the backdrop of another favorite of ours: the workshop of noted Scandinavian furniture design house Fritz Hansen. read more…

Although we have taken many beautiful things (and memories) with us from San Francisco when we visited two weeks ago, one of our favorite things we discovered is the extraordinary book ‘California Surfing and Climbing in the Fifties’. Combining both color and black and white imagery gathered from a variety of photographers and private collections, the publication by the expert when it comes to the subject; T. Adler, paints a undeniably appealing picture of an exciting era full of experiment and evolution. Aside from the wide selection of archival photographs, the book features short passages written by Yvon Chouinard, Steve Pezman and Steve Roper, which give personal accounts of what was happening at the time and help to bring the images to life. Each photo is also extensively captioned, noting the individuals involved and their influence on these sports throughout the Fifties and beyond. This information adds an interesting layer of depth and personality to the publication, which ultimately serves as an evocative look back at a golden age, and the growth of two archetypical Californian countercultures. We love this elegant and insightful gem! read more…

Mayday Mayday Mayday x Ground Control

Last week, on the 22nd of July, a great exhibition opened in the Parisian bar Ground Control, curated by the interesting young Mayday Mayday Mayday art/street culture platform. In the show named ‘Reading 78′, the still quite unknown but greatly talented French photographer Gil Rigoulet transports the spectator into the universe of the uncompromising British punk movement during the late Seventies. One year after the release of the now legendary and paradigm shifting ‘Nevermind the Bollocks’ record by the Sex Pistols, the English youth was having great fun, dancing like never before to the rhythms of the ever-hardening furious riffs. Taking place in the city of Reading, during its legendary rock festival: in the series a lawless zone is revealed in all its glory, portrayed in grainy black and white photographs – showing that in 1978 everything seemed to still be possible. read more…

At the Design Museum London

We really look forward to the end of the year when on the 18th of November a very interesting new exhibition on bicycles will open in the London-based Design Museum. Inspired by the new found interest in bicycles and cycling in Britain, which started somewhere in the beginning of this century, the museum felt the urge to focus on the craftsman bicycle makers, who tailor machines to the precise specifications of their users. Cycling has grown into a passion of many, having become a part of their identity – be it as a stylish way to get from A to B or as a fiercely competitive sport. Which will all be represented in the exhibition named ‘Cycle Revolution': bringing together bicycles, clothing, accessories, equipment, film and photography to tell the powerful, personal and sometimes remarkable stories of cyclists and the machines that move them. We can’t wait to visit! read more…

We have been following the very talented Japanese designer Yusuke Seki for a while now and his latest project really took it to the next level. In April of this year Seki finished the new flagship store of Maruhiro – the leading producer of Hasami ceramics – in Nagasaki from an extraordinary vision. The designer’s work marries an architectural knowledge with the artisanal know-how of the region, and in so doing, creating an entirely location- and situation-specific experience with an extraordinary autonomous feel rather than that of a store. Seki’s methods seek to amplify Hasami’s rich heritage. His minimal, yet immersive design interference; the modification in the level of the floor, not only utilizes the pre-existing space to alter the perspective and experiences held by the users until the present, but also gives birth to an entirely new sense of flow within ceramics. So inspirational! read more…

At White Cube Bermondsey

On the 15th of July the London-based White Cube opened an exhibition of fascinating new work by Marc Quinn. The show named ‘The Toxic Sublime’ includes two new bodies of work and is the culmination of two years of investigation by the artist into natural phenomena and our distanced and complex relationship with the environment. These works after which the show was named are distorted, three-dimensional seascapes that blur the boundaries between painting and sculpture. Next to these works, a new series of highly extraordinary sculptures – minimal arcs in stainless steel – including one measuring over a staggering 7 meter long titled ‘Frozen Waves’. These primal, gestural shapes originate from the remnants of shells, eroded by the endless action of the waves. In the moment before they disappear and become sand, all conch shells end up in a similar form – an arch that looks like a wave, as though an unwitting self-portrait by nature. We love the inspirational work of Marc Quinn! read more…

Although the current summer in The Netherlands granted us a fair share of sunshine already, like every year in the lowlands we can’t get away from a hefty rain shower now and then. The field of elegant choices when it comes to rainwear for these kind of days has expanded significantly over the last few years and Copenhagen-based RAINS has been one of the companies which we have been following since it was founded in 2012. The new Autumn/Winter 2015 collection shows everything what the brand has been setting apart since it arrived: understated sophistication and technical fabrication, sharp cut modern raincoats in different lengths and colors and an extraordinary 100% waterproof bag collection – which we particularly appreciate. read more…

With our perfecttrip to the West Coast coming to an end we take a look on the other side of the United States, where located in the heart of Dutch Kills, an emerging area in Long Island City – which borders bustling Astoria – the beautiful Boro Hotel has just opened its doors. The new hotel is the first design centric boutique property in the rapidly evolving neighborhood. Designed by Grzywinski+Pons, the hotel’s 108 guestrooms, studios and public spaces offer a fresh perspective by blending modern, minimalist interiors with the structure’s original concrete and cinderblock bones. Thoughtful touches infuse warmth into the space to create an appealing environment, including hand scraped oak floors, painted pallet wood paneling, and design elements that incorporate leather, cork and sisal materials. With as a result: a both modern yet elegant choice for our next trip to the Big Apple. read more…

By Taturo Atzu at the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam

On the 27th of June a beautiful new art project opened in the heart of Amsterdam. ‘The Garden Which is the Nearest to God’ is the first creation in the Netherlands by the renowned Japanese artist Taturo Atzu, who was invited to create a structure for the historic weather vane and the small roof turret of the Oude Kerk, located in the red light district of the capital. Atzu’s project links the monumental 13th century church, the oldest building in the city, to its recent incarnation as Amsterdam’s newest cultural institution. He gives the weather vane an update by re-imagining it in a fully furnished, modern living room. Interpreting contemporary Dutch interiors, the décor features a table, chairs, and above the sofa a classical print from the church collection. The Japanese artist brings the spectator closer to the experience of wonderment as we make our metaphoric journey on high – climbing the 156 steps to the 300 m² open space above – to a fictional living room and the built-in seating area around the clock tower. Make sure to visit the Oude Kerk and enjoy the extraordinary project before it is gone. read more…

The Silent Neon Flowers issue

Last month, we were introduced to the London-based collective of bartenders named Drink Factory, which aims to expand their shared creativity and knowledge of cocktails. Founded some 10 years ago by cocktail master Tony Conigliaro, Drink Factory released its first printed publication with their unique vision on the fascinating craft of cocktails in 2014 under the theme ‘Gothic’, resulting in a dark and brooding issue. A month ago the second issue saw light and this time a lot more color is added to the palette, with everything resolving around ‘Silent Neon Flowers’. The underlaying concept is ‘silent flavor’, which resulted in some arresting botanical editorials by photographers Addie Chin, Ollie Harrop and Ruth Vatcher, translating the idea into their images, forming a stand out visual language for the magazine which places the subject in a truly unique light. For us, having found the extraordinary Drink Factory, all kinds of doors into the enormous world of cocktails are being opened, in which the new magazine forms an inspirational and insightful starting point for more exploration. read more…

Recently we stumbled upon the truly magnificent work of Los Angeles-based photographer Lauren Marsolier. The French-born creates extraordinary images that are convincingly real using multiple photographs, unrelated fragments of the outside world collected over time in a variety of locations. Months or years often separate the capture of elements juxtaposed in her landscapes; a technique reminiscent of the art of painting. Her work probes the mental process of transition – hence its moniker – a particular phase when our parameters of perception shift, when we suddenly don’t see ourselves, our environment, or our life quite the same way we used to. These transitional periods often feel like being in a place one knows, but can’t quite identify. We can’t stop gazing at these remarkable photographs, which seem to tell deep stories of solitude and show a clinical beauty which feels both surreal and keeps haunting us. read more…

In our eyes Danny Fox is one of the more exciting names who has arrived in the London art scene in recent years. The artist with the appearance of an outlaw biker is an autodidact who found his interest in painting somewhere in his mid teens, inspired by the work of Alfred Wallis, who like Fox lived in St. Ives. Over the years he created a style which is unpolished and uncompromising, showing elements of early Modernist art, the graffiti aesthetic and a color palette that reminds of African art. Both the figurative, symbolic and decorative elements are slapped with great speed onto the canvas as if they were a sheet of flash tattoos (as immortalized on the artist’s own skin for instance). Fox’s figures represent boxers, horses, cowboys, snakes, fruit, transsexuals, strippers or patterns reminiscent of ancient Greek decoration, with everything blending together perfectly in the artist’s fascinating raw narratives, rooting directly from Fox’s own memory or personal history. read more…

Erik Schedin x Comme des Garçons Shirt — Part III

To celebrate his now iconic minimalist sneaker’s 10th anniversary, in January 2014 one of our favorite designers and tastemakers around; Erik Schedin teamed up with Comme des Garçons Shirt to re-release the white leather model with unique added graphics. Another version with the colorway option inverted was released soon afterwards using black as the primary color of choice for the low-rise model with white graphics. And now the Swede and Comme des Garçons Shirt return and continue their great collaboration for a third rendition, this time in color: having created the sneaker in a sharp shade of blue and a beautiful deep green with the identical black graphics as its predecessors. We love these beautiful new styles of one of the cleanest sneaker around! read more…

This week a new inspirational project was launched by Rapha. After the brand was one of the original backers of Rouleur magazine back in 2006, it now introduces an all new cycling magazine on its own named Mondial. The elegant and highly inspirational 160-page debut issue is available to Rapha Cycling Club members now, and will be available for the rest of the world in one week. Mondial aims to expand the idea of what road cycling is and what the beautiful sport can be. It will feature incisive longform writing and elegant photography which is one of the fortes of Rapha in the first place. In Mondial you will find familiar cycling topics given a fresh new treatment, while a cycling viewpoint is brought to wider cultural subjects, thus broadening the sport’s reference points. We have been eagerly waiting on a publication like Mondial and applaud how it is done so incredibly well, looking forward to what the inspirational new project will bring in the future! read more…

The Mad River issue

For the latest edition of inspirational The Collective Quarterly, it has placed its exploratory gaze on the Mad River valley – officially known as the Winooski River – in Vermont, USA, visiting towns like Warren, Waitsfield, Moretown, Fayston, and Duxbury; an area famous for its architectural experimentations. There are more architects per capita in Warren than anywhere else in the United States. Throughout the ’60s and ’70s, these highly creative designers created experimental constructions on Prickly Mountain, heralding the arrival of the design/build movement, which was insightfully caught in the magazine’s photographic story on the subject. Other chapters in the issue focus on; extreme sports like kayaking, big-air huck fests in sleds, and cliff-jumping at near-suicidal heights; a man who builds houses in the trees for the disabled youth; a woman who forges artful kitchen knives out of old horse-hoof rasps from her father’s blacksmith operation; and a socialist German refugee whose politically charged puppet shows in the fields of the Northeast Kingdom draw thousands. We love this new issue of extraordinary armchair travel by The Collective Quarterly. read more…

The Amsterdam-based artist Matthijs Booij has come up with a creative solution for his old age: One Thousand Drawing Pension Plan. Since 2014, Booij has been selling drawings for long-term monthly payments and hopes to build up his pension in this way. For €1,- per month you can buy a drawing of the former half of notorious artist duo Miktor & Molf. When one decides to buy a work, the payment continues until the artist’s pension, with Booij receiving as much money for a drawing as he would now when it’s paid at once, in full. The contract can’t be broken, but can be resold (unless there’s a case of mortality). By the time he can retire in 2050, he hopes to have earned €440.000,- with the project. Next to this fascinating creative form to buy his art, we love Booij’s grimey aesthetic, using both collage techniques as free flowing sketches, showing a beautiful diversity in the works he creates. Make sure to keep an eye on this extraordinary project. read more…

We are big fans of Chris Black’s New York City-based Done to Death Projects, which has been releasing inspirational printed titles over the course of the last few years. Among the publications one finds the work of another one of our favorites; photographer Mikael Kennedy, next to the recent title which we really like by Chris Black himself: ‘I Know You Think You Know It All: Advice and Observations For You to Stand Apart in Public and Online’ and now Done to Death Projects presents ‘Bountiful’, a new book from the very talented young photographer Noah Emrich. During the summer of 2013, Emrich embarked on a 12.000 mile trip around the United States, with the goal to capture post-recession America, searching for the remainders of the once glorious American Dream. The result is a haunting series putting the finger on the sore spot of a proud and powerful country reluctantly having to find a new identity to match its current state of being. read more…

Shot by Viviane Sassen

After we wrote about the inspirational presentation of the summer version of his A Suit To Travel In, Paul Smith once more shows his remarkable vision in the campaign of his upcoming collection. Capturing the confident use of color in the designs, the campaign for the designer’s Autumn/Winter 2015 collection is the first Paul Smith collection to be shot by the photographic artist Viviane Sassen, who we have been admiring ourselves for years. And what a wonderful hybrid of worlds the campaign has become – both creatives having an eye for exquisite stand out colors and the beauty of aesthetic contrast. With most earlier campaigns shot by multitalent Smith himself, this elegant collaboration seems to signal a fresh direction for the company. As part of the campaign one can spot that the signature ‘Paul Smith’ logo is re-imagined with a playful sense of scale and positioning. A sense of modernity and wit is present throughout the campaign, echoing the essential qualities of Paul Smith, making the campaign a clear season favorite of ours. read more…

Another Something x Rapha

With the official team presentations, which will take place this evening, the Tour de France fever in our hometown Utrecht is slowly reaching a highpoint (with the tropical Summer temperatures of recent days also playing a significant role in this development). Although the little brother of Amsterdam has gained significantly growing international attention in recent years, because of its beautiful canals and historical city center with a more laidback and less touristic atmosphere – for many people the host of the Grand Départ is still unknown territory. As we have been happily living in Utrecht for quite some years now, we teamed up with Rapha to introduce our city properly and created a little map with all of our favorite destinations when it comes to Food & Drinks, Art & Culture, Antiques & Obsessions, Fashion & Design, Markets & Flowers and Hideouts & Escapes, which we named Utrecht’s Finest. For those first getting to know Utrecht, or those who are curious what it is what makes the city special for us. read more…

We recently became familiar with the Amsterdam-based REE PROJECTS, a fashion brand developing collections for a women’s wardrobe with a main focus on pure, refined timeless pieces with an edge. Having just stepped out in the world having created a sharp and clean breakout collection which we really like. The brand has been inspired by a ‘lost & found’ suitcase found at the Dutch railway station many years ago. The suitcase and its contents – a stranger’s wardrobe – are the conceptual starting point for both the REE PROJECTS brand and each individual design, be it now or in the future. The suitcase symbolizes the brand’s journey and the new collection of bags is the first step. We really like REE PROJECTS highly potential debut collection and accompanying imagery and look forward what the future will bring us from this new name. read more…

Before we travelled to Porto at the beginning of last May it had been 8 years since we visited the beautiful city on the North-West coast of Portugal. Over the last few years we have visited its big brother – and one of our favorite cities period – Lisbon and the beautiful South of the country several times, but a little over two months ago we decided it was time to revisit the city located along the Douro river estuary and name giver to the most famous Portugese export product: port wine. And what a difference it was from earlier experiences. First of all the city appeared to be much more tidy and fresh, we were able to find better places to eat its incredible cuisine, and compared to last time we were able to find more appealing places to stay. The wonderful Rosa Et Al is one of them, in which we truly enjoyed our stay in beautiful Porto. read more…

We have been following and appreciating Klas Enfro’s inspirational graphic output since we acquired one of his incredible textile footballs, when he released a series of them back in 2008. In the years that followed the Swedish illustrator and graphic artist who’s based in Barcelona has produced a diverse field of graphic projects – both independently as for clients. All of the artist’s projects show his incredible sense for colors and patterns, which he for instance exemplified with his free project ‘Color Study'; a library of hues packaged in casual drips. And also his most recent project is highly impressive. Consisting of 18 separate boards, Ernflo created a large work showing his signature organic forms, a wonderful sense of humor and tremendous colors. We can’t get enough his beautiful work. read more…

In 1983, looking for the subjects and locations that would bring the desolate landscape of the American West to life for his iconic film ‘Paris, Texas’, German master filmmaker Wim Wenders took his Makina Planbel 6 x 7 camera on the road. Driving through Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California, Wenders was captivated by the unique, saturated, colorful light of the vast, wild landscape of the American West – even in the 20th century, a land associated with cowboys and outlaws, and suffused with the mythology of the frontier. The series he produced, ‘Written in the West’, was first exhibited in 1986 at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and first published in 2000. At the end of July, Wenders will add 15 new images of the sleepy town that gave the movie its name – though no footage was ever actually shot there. Made with a Fuji 6 x 4.5 camera, the new photographs are poetic documents of an abiding fascination and a search for personal memories. Together, they add an essential new chapter to Wenders’ classic ‘Written in the West’, now Revisited. read more…

By Paul Smith

Last week, as part of London Collections: Men, Paul Smith presented a summer take on his incredible ‘A Suit To Travel In’, which he introduced during the Autumn/Winter 2015 LC:M week in an utmost stylish manner, using English Olympic medallist Max Whitlock. For the lighter summer take on the suit Paul Smith chose another highly unorthodox presentation, using Ben Savage, a World Champion trials cyclist, who presented the garments to the world while hopping around an installation that was purpose-built in Hauser + Wirth. The cloth of the new suit is 100% New Zealand wool, for which Paul Smith worked with Loro Piana – one of the best cloth mills in the world – to develop. The yarn is woven very tight, as it was in the Autumn/Winter 2015 ‘Suit To Travel In’ giving the crease resistance making it very sturdy, but it’s woven loosely to make it more breathable for the hotter months of the year. We love both the suits as this incredible presentation! read more…

Han Koning is a very talented Dutch designer who has been developing hand made industrial designs for over a decade from his studio in Groningen. His earliest success came in 2002 when still at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where he created a vase for retail chain HEMA dedicated to unfortunate flowers with snapped stems, named the ‘103% Vase’. In the following years a series of designs preceded that introduction to the world from the ‘llevel’, ‘SpaceFrame CC’ to the incredible ‘Static Plastic’. Han filters things out of everyday life and transforms them into conceptual yet practical objects and interiors in collaboration with artists designers and architects. His never ending desire for innovation and creativity brought him early to 3D printing and the abilities it provides for designing, prototyping and manufacturing. Inspiration for new products comes from everywhere he is, ranging from nature to technology. From an ever-growing archive of photos, sketches and material/technical experiments, new products continue to grow from his innovative Development Room. read more…

The incredible ‘Ways of Knowing’ by photographer Daniel Stier is the product of a curious outsider’s view into the world of science, which has resulted in a series, shot over several years, revealing a strangely fascinating yet highly aesthetic world. The self-initiated project by Stier shows research laboratories across Europe and the United States as well as still lifes of scientific tools taken in photographer’s studio. The combination draws parallels between the work of artists and scientists. Both often-times searching to find answers to what move us by examining life – with their own specific tools. The blank expressions of the doctors and students demonstrating the machinery are haunting, almost surrealistic, as they sit seemingly indifferent inside or surrounded by intricate wires and metal constructions. Stier’s sharp photographic eye – which reminds us of the work of another lover of heavy machinery; Alastair Philip Wiper – catches the details surrounding these enormous machines perfectly, creating frames which tell rich stories starting in the past and taking the spectator all the way into the future. read more…

A collaboration between T-Michael & Ralph Vaessens

We really like the latest project of Norwegian Rain‘s co-founder, and one of our favorite people working in fashion; the immaculate T-Michael, who joint forces with Dutch optics specialist Ralph Vaessen in a collaboration which was officially launched yesterday at Pitti Uomo. Both T-Michael and Vaessen have a distinct sense of elegant stand-out style and a sincere love for luxurious craftsmanship and after a chance meeting their new creative enterprise was born. The result is a capsule collection of one model; simplistic yet tantalizing for the pure at heart and the lover of devilish detailing. Named ‘Raphael’, the extraordinary glasses are produced by hand in Germany of natural horn – the material of choice for most of Ralph Vaessen’s models and a clear favorite of ourselves as wel – and comes in four color ways: ivory, slate, grey, ebony and chocolate. read more…

Through his work the Greek artist Panos Tsagaris aspires to express the emanation of the Divine as it is reflected through the abstraction, the beauty and the poetry of the everyday, in order to bring himself and the viewer closer to a state of Catharsis. Furthermore Tsagaris aims to create a unified spiritual environment that highlights the fact that most religions and spiritual traditions are not hostile in their nature but instead are connected to each other through compassion and love. In addition Tsagaris’ work contemplates on life’s fragile struggle between the sacred and the profane. Ultimately through his work Tsagaris is eager to capture and express the restlessness and magic that exists in the soul of all of us. We are highly inspired by Tsagaris extraordinary artistic vision. read more…